In the News on Feb 4- 8, 2008

Federal/NCLB

Secretary of Education asks 6th Circuit court to reconsider a ruling, and says the NEA “has publicly encouraged school districts to cease to comply with the NCLB”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/13/23nclb.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Democrats in Congress prepare to resist President Bush's level-funding budget proposal for education until the next president
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/13/23budget.h27.html

IA senate overwhelmingly approves a $112.6 million increase in state spending on basic aid to local elementary and secondary schools
http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/NEWS01/802080346/1079

Funding lawsuit brought by school districts against the ID Supreme Court will move forward in the federal courts
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/289372.html

NM House of Representatives approves a new school funding formula, but schools might still face a long road before they get additional money
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/House-explores-plans-to-raise-school-funding

State

AZ introduces a legislative proposal to implement a program that rewards high-performing teachers statewide
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0208career-ladders0208.html

Report says AZ students should advance through their K-12 studies based on the skills they've mastered and not based on age and the last grade they've completed
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0208report0208.html

High school drop out rates rise in NC, and education leaders call for raising the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/932010.html

Charter school supporters ask NH lawmakers to make local taxpayers help finance the schools
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS0201/875354873/-1/fosNEWS0409

OK poll shows a majority of voters would choose increasing teacher pay over cuts in state income taxes
http://newsok.com/article/3201869/1202411976

OR is torn over full-day kindergarten fees; state attorney general says districts don’t have authority to collect tuition, but lawmakers consider legislation to allow school districts to continue charging fees
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/13/23kcharges.h27.html

TX report finds that achievement gaps between low-income and minority students and their peers can be attributed in large part to gaps in teacher quality and experience
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/08/0208teacherquality.html

PA’s move towards the development of new tests for high school students draws outrage from Republican lawmakers who oppose exit exams
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/120243750488390.xml&coll=1

In the News on February 7, 2008

National Assessment of Educational Progress receives additional funding in the 2008 budget, and federal testing in core subjects will proceed as planned
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/13/23nagb.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AK House Finance Committee passes a three-year education funding plan that would add $118 million for public schools; the plan is sure to be hotly debated in the House
http://juneauempire.com/stories/020708/sta_244738003.shtml

AK administration considers school funding a legislative issue, and governor leaves the issue of district cost factors up to state lawmakers
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/feb/06/legislators-decide-handling-school-cost-factors/

Budget friction between GA governor and legislative leaders is likely to continue after proposed cuts to programs aimed at school districts with lower property values
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/020708/met_186500.shtml

IA House approves a $112.6 million increase in state funding for public schools
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/02/07/ap-state-ia/d8ula0a80.txt

Despite funding proposal that calls for a 4 percent increase in the state's per-student spending, some IA schools expect to feel a pinch
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS10/802070394/1011

MI governor will propose a funding increase for public schools next year in the $100 to $200 per pupil range, according to sources familiar with the budget plan
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/POLITICS/802070348

VT House Republicans launch another effort to scrap the state’s system for funding public schools, saying they would replace it with a plan that would be fairer, more affordable and restore more local control
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/02/06/house_gop_launches_school_tax_reform_plan/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

State

KS considers a bill that would require all children to go to kindergarten
http://cjonline.com/stories/020708/sta_244574238.shtml

IA Board of Education gives school districts official guidance to use a group of factors - including, but not limited to, race - when evaluating students' open enrollment requests
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/02/07/news/iowa/d49b7fe7a7199846862573e80019b307.txt

MD demonstrators are detained for demanding that governor O’Malley be arrested for not addressing what they called a "historic underfunding" of public schools
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.protest07feb07,0,1378.story

NE governor opposes a bill that would require home school students to take standardized tests
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/02/07/news/politics/doc47aa037a6a2f2031178079.txt

NJ students show mixed results on test scores; scores in elementary and middle schools improve but slightly decline in high schools
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/nyregion/07test.html?ref=nyregion

NJ test scores once again fall along socioeconomic lines; students in affluent areas test best
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS01/802070374/1006/news01

SC considers a bill that would eliminate a grading system that puts students at a disadvantage in meeting NCLB requirements
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS04/802070334

In the News on February 6, 2008

Federal/NCLB

Congress objects to “Pell Grants for Kids,” proposed by President Bush to secure federal funding for private school vouchers
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22bush.h27.html

Other News

Report analyzes teacher qualification, opportunity gap, and national achievement in 46 countries
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22report-1.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

MA governor tells lawmakers to move swiftly on a proposed increase in education spending
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22masssos.h27.html

Report says that most of the $3.3 billion in new spending on MD public schools since 2002 has gone toward hiring more teachers and increasing their salaries and benefits
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22brief-6.h27.html

MT school advocates go back to court asking a judge to forestall potential school program cuts across the state this fall
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/02/06/news/state/28-advocates.txt

NH legislators introduce a new constitutional amendment that would give lawmakers broad authority to target money to needy districts
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/FRONTPAGE/802060324/1043/NEWS01

NV teachers' union introduces a revised petition to increase gambling taxes to raise about $250 million a year for public education
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NV_CASINO_TAX_NVOL-?SITE=NVCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-02-05-14-09-22

PA governor proposes a new education formula that would funnel an extra $2.6 billion over six years to school districts that a study found aren't spending enough on students
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08037/855054-85.stm

Some local school districts would gain under PA governor’s funding proposal, but more than half of the districts would get a smaller funding increase than they got last year
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080206_Many_local_districts_would_gain.html

State Roundup

AZ university students examine why so many high-school students drop out of school annually
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0206ednbyrodel0206.html

MI schools Superintendent seeks greater authority to close chronically failing schools though a change in state law
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/POLITICS/802060396/1409/METRO

MN law makes districts pay up for failing to reach a contract agreement with teachers on time
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22stjour.h27.html

State Education Commissioner says VT should revamp its public school system because it is not meeting the needs of almost half of its students
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/02/05/education_commissioner_calls_for_revamping_vermont_schools/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

"Transform education in ," says Education Commissioner after he shows that state test scores stay flat
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/NEWS04/802060397/1004/NEWS03

Federal/NCLB

Key members of Congress join President Bush in his hope to jump-start NCLB reauthorization, but their success may depend on their ability to work together
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22nclb.h27.html

Commentary – “Where’s the ‘child’ in the No Child Left Behind debate?”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/04/22petri_web.h27.html

President Bush’s plan would freeze discretionary education spending, cut or consolidate programs, expand school vouchers, and restore funding for reading initiative
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/04/AR2008020402689.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Bids to cut property taxes threaten education funding
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22proptaxes.h27.html

State Roundup

CO’s Education Council recommendations move forward
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1202223138/12

Tens of thousands of Los Angeles students could be one or two courses shy of what they need to apply to the state's four-year universities
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-graduate5feb05,1,49659.story?track=rss

MI governor comes on strong with proposals for education, insisting that investments in education are an important part of her solution to the state’s stubborn fiscal woes
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22michsos.h27.html

NE officials attempt to resolve disputes over state testing and academic accountability system
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10250467

RI students show sustained progress in test scores but achievement gaps remain, according to state officials
http://www.projo.com/news/content/test_scores_02-05-08_B58SOBT_v90.38d6f54.html

School Integration

School district will create a task force to reexamine student assignment plan
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/02/03/framingham_task_force_to_scrutinize_school_choice_plan/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

Federal/NCLB

The U.S. Department of Education will ask the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider ruling related to NCLB funding
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-50/1201895651214740.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

President Bush asks Congress to leave education alone this year, asking for funding equal to what is being spent this year; he also seeks more money for Reading First program
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/02/01/bush_seeks_no_increase_for_schools/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

Other News

Some states seek to squeeze more hours, days and even weeks into the academic calendar to ensure students get the reading and math lessons they need without sacrificing other subjects
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/03/AR2008020302925.html?wpisrc=_rsseducation

Commentary – Inside the ‘crucible’ of school reform: Turning around ’s worst-performing schools
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/06/22guenther.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Tax collections for ’s Education Trust Fund come in with less than half the growth state lawmakers expected
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1201943719111820.xml&coll=2

The White House plans to give D.C. $32 million in additional federal funding this year for public education; Mayor Fenty says targeted investments “will spur improved instruction and services, directly benefiting students in the classroom”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103242.html?wpisrc=_rsseducation

Editorial – Additional federal money proposed for D.C. schools is important for practical and symbolical reasons; it would make new programs possible and it would serve as a powerful vote of confidence in the District
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/02/AR2008020201831.html?nav=rss_opinions

FL lawmakers say the governor’s proposed budget relies on what might be outdated information; Senate's top budget chief warns about the governor raising expectations too high
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/403342.html

IN school districts fear proposed tax caps that would slash projected operating budgets
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/02/03/news/top_news/doc0236cb90469b239f862573e30081fcef.txt

NH Democrats hope to adopt a new school funding system that meets constitutional muster, but it won't be easy
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/02/01/nh_committee_approves_school_aid_report/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

NM’s 30-year-old school funding formula is poised for an overhaul that could inject millions of dollars into schools, but officials worry about stringent accountability plan
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/School_funding_formula_Officials_fear_extra_work_in_monitoring_

State Roundup

Report says more CA students are doing well on higher-level math and science tests now than in 2003
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/02/BAMFUQJJD.DTL&feed=rss.education

D.C. school closing list is revised as a result of hours of public comments from nine meetings and 23 public hearings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020101287.html?wpisrc=_rsseducation

IN - Elementary public schools in post scores that outstrip many suburban township schools and a wave of new charter schools
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080204/LOCAL18/802040381

WV battles a teacher shortage in critical areas
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1402017204

Published Monday, Feb. 11, 2008